I'd like to think I'm a woodturner, but actually it's more like a
wood-hoarder -- I buy some good looking blanks and set them aside for "when
I have time". Right now my time at work keeps me from doing much lathe work.

Today I cut down a dead citrus tree. The smaller pieces went into the burn
pit, but there were several that were large enough to save. I've seen some
nice citrus turnings at the Palm Beach turners exhibition. But when I took
a close look at the tree sections they were infested with very tiny ants --
I don't think they were termites, but I'm not an expert. I don't want to
bring those into the garage with the other wood until I've gotten rid of the
insects. The pieces are too big to put in the freezer, so I'd like to know
if there is a specific solution that they can be immersed in to kill off the
insects and preserve their potential for being made into coasters, small
bowls, etc.-- or do I just spray them with an insecticide?

if you put them under water for a few days, any insects will drown.



"JimR" wrote in message
...
I'd like to think I'm a woodturner, but actually it's more like a
wood-hoarder -- I buy some good looking blanks and set them aside for
"when I have time". Right now my time at work keeps me from doing much
lathe work.

Today I cut down a dead citrus tree. The smaller pieces went into the
burn pit, but there were several that were large enough to save. I've
seen some nice citrus turnings at the Palm Beach turners exhibition. But
when I took a close look at the tree sections they were infested with very
tiny ants -- I don't think they were termites, but I'm not an expert. I
don't want to bring those into the garage with the other wood until I've
gotten rid of the insects. The pieces are too big to put in the freezer,
so I'd like to know if there is a specific solution that they can be
immersed in to kill off the insects and preserve their potential for being
made into coasters, small bowls, etc.-- or do I just spray them with an
insecticide?



** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Sun, 5 Oct 2008 14:59:21 -0400, "JimR" wrote:

I'd like to think I'm a woodturner, but actually it's more like a
wood-hoarder -- I buy some good looking blanks and set them aside for "when
I have time". Right now my time at work keeps me from doing much lathe work.

Today I cut down a dead citrus tree. The smaller pieces went into the burn
pit, but there were several that were large enough to save. I've seen some
nice citrus turnings at the Palm Beach turners exhibition. But when I took
a close look at the tree sections they were infested with very tiny ants --
I don't think they were termites, but I'm not an expert. I don't want to
bring those into the garage with the other wood until I've gotten rid of the
insects. The pieces are too big to put in the freezer, so I'd like to know
if there is a specific solution that they can be immersed in to kill off the
insects and preserve their potential for being made into coasters, small
bowls, etc.-- or do I just spray them with an insecticide?



A boric acid solution is toxic to insects, but very low toxcity to
humans. You could use ant traps.

On Sun, 5 Oct 2008 14:59:21 -0400, "JimR" wrote:

I'd like to think I'm a woodturner, but actually it's more like a
wood-hoarder -- I buy some good looking blanks and set them aside for "when
I have time". Right now my time at work keeps me from doing much lathe work.

Today I cut down a dead citrus tree. The smaller pieces went into the burn
pit, but there were several that were large enough to save. I've seen some
nice citrus turnings at the Palm Beach turners exhibition. But when I took
a close look at the tree sections they were infested with very tiny ants --
I don't think they were termites, but I'm not an expert. I don't want to
bring those into the garage with the other wood until I've gotten rid of the
insects. The pieces are too big to put in the freezer, so I'd like to know
if there is a specific solution that they can be immersed in to kill off the
insects and preserve their potential for being made into coasters, small
bowls, etc.-- or do I just spray them with an insecticide?



Wipe the logs down with mineral spirits.

Are they really ants ? - small wood borers are likely.

I cut down a Honey Locust - dislike the over population of thorns
across the ground... It was infected with wood borers. The logs
(two for turning) and a long thin one. The beetles moved in and dumped
a lot of wood chewings. I spotted the piles in the shop. I dumped them
outside - and fire ants took over and ate the beetles. They seem to be
starving now - having eaten ticks and lots of ground bugs. Hives are dying.

That is the good news.

As for yours - put it in a trash bag and put in a flea bomb. (all outside...).

Or if you have a work shed - put it in there and bomb the shed! Just like
killing fleas in a house - it will gas your guests. And if in a small
shed - might gas some unwanted guests.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


JimR wrote:
I'd like to think I'm a woodturner, but actually it's more like a
wood-hoarder -- I buy some good looking blanks and set them aside for "when
I have time". Right now my time at work keeps me from doing much lathe work.

Today I cut down a dead citrus tree. The smaller pieces went into the burn
pit, but there were several that were large enough to save. I've seen some
nice citrus turnings at the Palm Beach turners exhibition. But when I took
a close look at the tree sections they were infested with very tiny ants --
I don't think they were termites, but I'm not an expert. I don't want to
bring those into the garage with the other wood until I've gotten rid of the
insects. The pieces are too big to put in the freezer, so I'd like to know
if there is a specific solution that they can be immersed in to kill off the
insects and preserve their potential for being made into coasters, small
bowls, etc.-- or do I just spray them with an insecticide?




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I haven't tried it, but several folks have told me that (size permitting)
putting the wood/bowl blank in a plastic trash bag with a few moth balls works
well.. YMMV


mac

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